Movable door binder for fire doors



Oct. 19, 1926.

H. A. JOHNSON KOVABLE DOOR BINDER FOR FIRE DOORS Filed sept. 27, 1924 INVENTOR Home@ A. J/wsM ATTOR .fill

Patented Oct. 19, 1926.

UNTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IIS WARD A. JOHNSON, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR TO 'TI-IE J'. Gr. WILSON COR- PORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.. A CORPORATION F VIRGINIA.

MOVABLE DOOR BINDER FOR FIRE DOORS.

Application filed September 27, 1924.

Fire doors are usually hung at their upper margins upon rollers and are arranged to slide along a track from open to closed position. Vhen in closed position the margins of the door are ordinarily arranged to overlap the wall at the margins of the doorway which the door is designed to close. -When a fire occurs, a very high pressure is often developed upon the inner side of the door over that of the outer side thereof, which tends to force the door away from the margin of the doorway. This pressure is often sufficient to force the `margin of the door away from the wall at points at which the door is not firmly secured to the wall. Furthermore, the door is liable to buckle under the high temperature devel oped, and the Vbuckling of the door may throw the door away from the margin of the doorway at one or more points. In either event, an opening is left through which the fire may pass and the protective usefulness of the door is to a large extent destroyed. For this reason, door binders have been provided for lire doors -to hold the margins of the door from movement away from the wall when the door is closed.

One object of the present invention is to improve the construction and mode of op eration of door binders for fire doors.

The margin of a fire door at the front edge thereof is usually held to the wall when the door is closed by fixed binders secured to the wall, and the top of the door is held in place by' the devices which support the door. It is also common practice to provide one or `more guide rollers at the base of the door and these will vhold the door from being forced transversely out of position at thisV point. The rear edge of the door, however, is usually left free, with the result that the rear portion of the door under the pressure developed or the buckling strain is often forced away from the margin of the door way, allowing the fire to pass through at this point. Q y

Another object of the present lnvention 1s to provide a novel and improved construction for holding the rear edge of a fire door Serial N0. 740,296.

to the wall when the door is in closed positon.

The invention will be clearly understood from the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention in its preferred form and the following detailed description of the construction therein shown.

In the drawings- Fig. l is a View in front elevation of' a fire door construction embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in horizontal section taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a detail view in horizontal section taken in substantially the same plane as Fig. 2 and illustrating certain of the parts in different positions; and

Fig. 4 is a view in vertical section taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

In the construction illustrated in the drawing a tire door indicated at 2 is mounted to slide horizontally along a wall 4 of a building and when in closed position is arranged to close an opening 6 in said wall.

The door 2 is mounted to slide upon rollers 8 journalled upon shafts carried by hangers 10 secured to the upper margin of the door, the rollers engaging a horizontal track 12 secured to the wall 4. Thus the door is mounted to slide horizontally along the wall 4 between open and closed positions. When in closed position the margin of the door overlaps the wall 4 at the margin of the doorway for a considerable distance, as is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

As is usual in fire door constructions, the l present door is provided with mechanism acting automatically to close the door upon the occurrence of a fire. This mechanism. however, is counterbalanced so that normally the door may be moved by hand from open to closed position or from closed to open position and will remain in the position in which it is placed.

lThe door is acted upon by a weight 14 attached to one end of a cable 16 passingr about a pulley 18 secured to the wall 4, the other end of the cable being attached to one of the hangers ,10, as shown in Fig. l.

Thus the weight 14 acts on the door in a di rection to move the same from open to closed position. The weight 14, however. is counterbalanced by a weight 20 attached to one end of a cable 22 passing about a pulley 24 secured to the wall 4. From the pulley 24 the cable 22 extends toward the forward edge of the door and its otlierend isattached to a fusible link 26. This link is connected by a short length of cable 28 with a bracket arm 30 secured to the door, =preferzdoly adjacent the forward margin thereof.

livlhen aire occursV with the'door in yfopen position, the linlr 26 fuses, thereby freeing the'door from the actionofjthefcounterbalance weight 20. The weight 14 vwill then et l to slide *the door into closedl position In Yorder to hold the forwardedgeofthe door" to tl'iei'inargin yof the doorway, door binders 32 are secured to the wall4adjacent the. forward margin Vof the doorway.

ing 'the "door is provided withl channelbars 34 extending` alongthe forward 'andrear marins thereof,l therebylproviding the 'door 'with inwardlyextending channels Valong thesemargins. YThe fixed door binders 3:2 Iin ln order to hold the rear Aina'rg'in ofthe door from'being forced' outwardly 1by the fpressure:fdeyeloped`V on the innerside of the door oi" fronrvbuclling undertlie heatfx'rthe doorl provided a movable"d'dor binder indicated at 3G 'for binding therarjmargin `of the4 doortofthewall 4. Thedoor'binder A35 ispiyoted upon asliort shaft''inunted `in supporting blocks" securedv within Athe channel bar 34extendingY along the-rear man lginof tliedoor. The'door binder Bois'rna-de 'in the forin of a hook or catch'as shown in Figs. 2 8, and the forwardfpart of the catch, when in operating position, 'is arranged to engage aplate 42fs'ecured to the wall'4. The catch 136 is 'acted upon' by a i coiled spring which censtantly tends :to swing the saine l'into 'operating-position.

Vf hen the door is in open po's'itionzvhowever, the forward'end of the catch"A ngageszan extension 46 Von the v'plat-e 42,wh'iclr'-li1nits the movement of the catch' under the action of the spring 44. lis thef'door isfrnoved Vfrornopen to closed position the catch '36 f moves along the extension46 untilitreaches anopening 48 in the plate 42. rThis vopening ,leads toa recess inthe .wall` 4 in"which "is vmounted a recessed' plate 50. ik In the closing movement of the door, as the c aftlchlf4 `-reaches the 'opening48 'inf the plate' 42,'the

'eatjch isj swung "intof the recess :withn the plate ooiand 'theffoiward -Pllt off theea'tch is carried across the part ofv the lplate"4l2in advance of the opening 48, as clearly shown As' clearly vshown in" Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawis closed, means tending constantly "to `inlligure 2. l/Vhen in this position, Ithe rear 'margin of the door is securely bound to th wall 4 by the catch 36. l vlt is highly important thata fire door shall be capable of being opened manually in all "cases Vafter it has been moved to closed position bythe action of the automatic lire 'controlled mechanism so that there will lbe :no danger that any person will be trapped in a burning building by the closing of the fire doors. The door binderl for the rearedge ofthedoor of the 'present construction-is arranged so that it will not interferc with :the openin'gfof the door, the binder ,being thrown out of operating position as the;door is moved-from closed toopen position. `'llo thisI end thel plate. 50- is provided with an' inclined cam surface 52 arranged to iengage. sir-*projection or tail 54 formed on thecatch 36. The cain surface` part ofthe sliding inoveinentfof the door from closed to opengposition. Thus the door 'may be'readily opened whether it is closed autoinatioallyby lthe action-of the fire-controlled mechanism" or whether itis closed by hand.

, The-door binderinechanism 'for the rear edge 'of the door illustrated and described in thisfapplicatioms extremely simple'in v'construction,` lis'reliable in its'operation and is coinposed of frelatively, few-parts so that itinay be'manufactured* cheaply. vAlso the construction of fthis niechanisinf enables` it to bei rea; ily* 'installed on fire `door construe "ftionsalreadyin operation. Y Having-"explained ythe nature and *object ofthe inventioniand having Ispeciiieally described 'auneehanism embodying rthe` 'inven- 'tion'in itspreferred formywhat is ci'iairn'ed is- 'fljl'liia'door constrLiction7 a wall vhai/Ying doorway,` a ksliding jdoor toa 'close the'door- "way, afi'nov'able dooi'f'bin`der' forbinding an fed'geof' the ldoor tothe wa'll when'theidoor j*is closed; ineans 'tending 'constantlyto throw v-'saiddoor"binder into operation 'and means forcontroliing the'door 'binderto maintain tlie saniefoutofoperation "wlie'nthe door is partiallyvor Yentirely:open'and to allow the "stfunej` to be thrown into 'ope 1ation 'when the door'y vis closed. l v

, 2. a door Y eonstructiom a wall having a doorway,"aslidiiig "doorto close' the'doorfwag: a dini'oya'ble l"dooifbind'er for ybindiiig an 'edg'eitof thedoorto thewallwhenthe door "tbl der ili'nto foperatii'i'glv`v con lrolling tthedoorf the 'samev *out of V-0pe`rat1on 'when ooo l iinaintaln -the door is partially or entirely open and way, a movable door binder for binding the rear edge of the door to the doorway when.`

the door is closed, means tor throwing the door binder into operating position when the` door is closed and a lined cam for engaging the door binder to throw the same ont of operating posit-ion when the door is opened. i

et. In a door construction, a wall having a doorway, a sliding door to close the. door way, a pivoted door binder for binding an edge of the door to the doorway when the doorl' is closed, a spring tending constantly to swing said door binder into operating position, a plate having an extension arranged lto be engaged by said door binder to limit the movement thereof under the action of the spring except when the door is at or adjacent its closed position, said plate. having an opening through which the door binder may swing into operating position as the door approaches final closed position in its closing movement and a portion for engagement with said door binder to bind the door to the wall, and a plate having a cam surface for engagement with a'projection on the door binder to throw the door binder out of operating position as the door is moved from closed to open position.

5. In a door construction, a wall having a doorway, a sliding door to close the doorway, a movable door binder mounted on the rear edge. of the door for binding said edge of the door to the wall when the door is closed, means tending constantly to move said door binder into operating position, and means for controlling the door binder to maintain the same out of operation when the door is partially or entirely open and to allow the same to be thrown into operating position when the door is closed.

6. In door construction, wall having a door opening, a sliding door having a movement ot translation only and arranged to slide along the wall from an open position to a closed position at one side of the wall and without the. door opening, means for binding the iront edge of the door to the wall, and means movable with relation to the door into and out of binding position and brought into operation by movement ot the door into the latter position for binding the rear edge of the door to the wall when the door is closed, said means being inactive when the door is open.

7. In door construction, a wall having a door opening, a sliding door having a movement of translation only along the wall from open position to closed position at one sideof the wall and without the door opening, a door binder movable with relation to the door1 into and out of binding position,

`and means 'for operating automatically the door binder with relation to the door to bind an edge of the door to the wall as the door slides to the latter position.

8. In door construction, the combination with a wall having a doorway, a sliding door to close the doorway, and a bracket on the wall at one. side of the doorway having an offset portion tooverlap a iront edge ot the door whenclosed, of an anchorage on the wall at the opposite side of the doorway, a hook shaped catch movably mounted on the rear edge of the door, and means brought into operation by closing movement of the door for moving the catch relatively to the door into engagement with the anchorage to hold said rear edge of the door against movement away from the wall.

9. In door construction, the combination with a wall having a doorway, a sliding door to close the doorway, and a bracket on the wall at one side of the `doorway having an offset portion to overlap a front edge of the door, when closed, of an anchorage on the wall at the opposite side of the doorway, a hook shaped catch movably mounted on the rear edge of the door, means controlled by movement of the Adoor for moving the catch relatively to the door into engagement with the anchorage as the door is closed to hold said rear edge of the door against movement away Afrom the wall, and means also controlled by movement of the door for disengaging the catch from the anchorage as the door is opened.

10. In door construction, the combination with a wall having a doorway, a track over the doorway, rollers mounted to travel on the track, a door secured at its upper edge to the rollers, a binder on the wall at one side of the doorway in position to engage a front edge of the door intermediate the top and bottom edges when the door is closed, a binder movable with relation to the door to interlock the rear edge of the door and the wall intermediate the top and bottom edges of the door, and means controlled by closing of the door for 'operating the. binder, whereby three edges of the door will be secured against movement away Yfrom the wall while the door is closed.

11. In a door construction, a wall having a doorway, a sliding door to close the doorway and an automatic door binder mounted for movement with relation to the door into and out of binding position and controlled by the sliding movement of the door for binding the rear edge of the door against movement transverse to its normal direction of movement when the door is closed.

12. In a door construction, a wall having Y mee-egg 'a doorway, a l.slidil'igdoor 'for lo'sinvgjtlie doorway and a idoor vbinder Vin'oiinted'Vlkn'l movement 'with relation tol the door ntoiind out of binding position for bindingen edge of tliedooij against lmovement in a dites-,tion transverse uo-elle 1noiinil movement :of the door,y thev door binder beingairaiiged to be thrown into mei-ation iuoi-ntieallf When- Athe door is Closed. Y

13. 1n adoor'eonstrio'tionfa Wall-helv'ng `adoo1iva.y,'e door 'havf gffafslidingffinovenient fof translaton'only for Closing fthe dooivvaly and idool-"binder in'oundlfor movement 'with' 'relation to 'iliedooi1- into afol out f of binding posii'on' 4'eif 'binding i'an led-ge *of thedooi othe Walhtlie doorjbind'erfloeing consriioledfzuid'a'rlgedfto be thrown into operation automatically bytlie closing movement of the doorfendto be'throwneut `1 of operation etoinatioally *by the ope'ning lmovement of; #alleV door.

14. In a door'c(instruction,V zVvCiallfl-iavng fadoolivay; 'a sliding door to fclose the 'doorvvey, Ineens `controlled by temperature lcon- :ditionsf'foi causing in eiinerg'eney closing of tlierd'o'or, 'and binding ineens carried on die "doorV and 'mounted' for Inoveinent lelntvely 'tothe-fclooif-finoand out of-bindi'ng position to bind en' edge of the door othe wall when the. doo-ris closed. v v

`l5.- Ine'fdoorconstruction, a Wall having a dooivvziy,a sliding-downto Close 'the door- 'fivaylleving af'nioveinent ol'mnsleion only :'f'r'nfopen Vposition 'to closed position et Lonesld'e'e'nd Oveillppng the Wal-rl, and ineens movable with relation to the idool; "ntoflid'out of operativ@ posi'tonfa-nd in- "active -wlienllie ldoor is vlopen orbinding "the Tesine-alge o1 ftliedooidireotly to the Wall -W'he'n` tliedoor fis closed.

#Signed at lil'orfo'lk.Va.,Y this` tll-"dey-of September," 1924.

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